A Former Governor of Virginia Will Explore a Presidential Run

By ADAM NAGOURNEY

Published: December 20, 2006

James S. Gilmore III, a former governor of Virginia and chairman of the Republican National Committee, announced Tuesday that he would form a committee to explore a presidential bid in 2008, saying the Republican field lacked a ''committed conservative'' capable of making a credible campaign for the White House.

''A void exists,'' Mr. Gilmore said in an interview. ''There is just no conservative right now who can mount a national campaign.''

Mr. Gilmore, 57, was governor for one term; Virginia does not allow governors to serve consecutive terms. He also served one year as chairman of the Republican National Committee before being forced out by the White House after clashing with Karl Rove, the president's chief political adviser.

While Mr. Gilmore is not particularly well-known nationally, he and his associates argued that there might be a path for a little-known candidate who could corral support of the party's critically important conservative wing.

Mr. Gilmore said he had always been what he described as an unvarying Ronald Reagan conservative. In what appeared to be an effort to distinguish himself from other candidates, particularly Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, he said: ''I didn't run someplace and pretend I was a liberal and run someplace else as a conservative. I just didn't do that.''

He was critical of what he described as excessive spending by Republicans over the last eight years, and said that is what led to the party's defeat in the Nov. 7 midterm elections.

Mr. Gilmore was less direct in discussing his views on Iraq. He declined to say whether he believed the decision to invade was correct. He did say that he would not support an increase in troop strength there unless a specific mission was spelled out and that he would not support a timetable for withdrawing troops.

''I think we should not keep doing the same thing we have been doing,'' he said. ''We need to assess new approaches, and I am open to considering all of those.''